The Weirdos Weird World Volume 2: We Got the Neutron Bomb
Label: Frontier
Release Date: 2003
Recording Date: 1977-1989
Review Date: 2003
You gotta love it when someone compiles the output of some long forgotten and underrated band and has the unbridled optimism to put “Volume One” on the first release with nothing but good will to put towards the second volume, as was the case with Volume One of Weird World when it appeared in 1991. Since I was marooned in a Midwestern junior high when the Weirdos were making underappreciated history, I’m not going to wax on about influential and ahead of their time they were, you can start with the book “We Got the Neutron Bomb : The Untold Story of L.A. Punk” for the word straight from the horse’s mouth. Note: The book covers the entire L.A. scene but borrows the title of the Weirdos song.
Famous for their stage presence, the recordings may seem tame and orthodox for those without today’s diluted definition of punk. But taken in or out of context, the material is strong. Volume Two is less a career retrospective than “a collection of rare studio and live recordings from their own private bomb shelter.” Volume Two is short on the liner notes and strangely enough includes a version of their defining title track “We’ve Got the Neutron Bomb” that is lacking in quality when compared to the slicker version on Volume One. One of the most interesting tracks is the mellow and haunting “Hey Big Oil” that is atypical of their output, and is also an instrumental. Another instrumental “Skateboards to Hell” sounds like it escaped from one of the Hardcore Devo early demo compilations. Most of the others are of the more frantic variety, including the infamous “Destroy All Music” which somehow didn’t make it on Volume One. If you are looking for an introduction to the Weirdos, a punk history lesson, or just something a little different, either volume will serve you well. Don’t forget to keep your eyes open for their 1990 studio release Condor, which for some reason you can’t get from the Frontier Records web site.
Hey! To top it all off, the Weirdos have been playing out live every so often! Don’t expect it to be a hermetically sealed time capsule, but it’s still a good, no, great show!
Online Action: frontierrecords.com